Local Business Prepares for Winter

The winter season is almost here and that means cold temperatures and snow could soon be affecting residents.

Snow, ice, and frigid temperatures usually make some residents cringe, but to some retail stores, its white gold. The Sunrise Do it Center in Zanesville says they're stocking up for their customers to combat whatever this winter may produce. Heaters, shovels, and salt are sitting on the shelves now, but will soon disappear once the first prediction of snow is in the forecast.

"We're ready we feel we have an ample supply of salt this year it was kind of hard to get last year, but we have our shipment in and we continue to get in ice melter every week, so we think were prepared for the people," Steve Mehaffey, the Manager of the store, comments.

This winter season purchasing salt shouldn't be an issue because there's plenty of supply and the store is stocked with the same amount now, to match that of last year.

Mehaffey says, "if it gets bad we are going to be able to handle the supply and demand."

Already this fall the temperature has dipped into the twenty's and customers are wasting no time to keep their homes warm.

The store continues to have a abundance of sales on foam insulation, to fill cracks in your windows and around your doors.

Like most businesses. this store has been affected by the shape of the economy, and that has influenced the decisions that management makes.

"We have watched our inventory quite well this year. In fact we have just been purchasing what we really need. Business is down just a little, not very much, but we are always trying to cut back inventory," Mehaffey says.

When the first storm is brewing and headed for Ohio the store claims they will be ready.

Mehaffey constantly monitors the forecast to make sure that their store is fully stocked and prepared for their customers before the storm hits.

If old man winter decides to linger late into the season Mehaffey says, he will continue to order salt and supplies.

He says,"I've learned the weather you cant predict and what ever happens, happens and if we have extra salt going into the summer we will save it for next year. but i don't ever run out try not to."

Winter weather can ring in big sales and this business is hoping that mother nature will bring cold temperatures and a lot of snow.

"The worse the winter the better the business," Macaffey states.

With that said the best advice is to stock up early because once the storm hits consumers buy anything that looks like a shovel and stores close when conditions deteriorate so much that a level 3 is issued. Mehaffey says, don't procrastinate and prepare in advance, otherwise you might be left out in the cold.